Auxiliary side rail for load supporting racks



June 26, 1962 F. B. HILLGER ETAL. 3,040,906

AUXILIARY SIDE RAIL FOR LOAD SUPPORTING RACKS Filed May l5. 1959 2Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORJ` Panik/cw e. #fusi/v June 26, 1962 F. B.HILLGER ETAL 3,040,906

AUXILIARY SIDE RAIL FOR LOAD SUPPORTING RACKS Filed May l5, 1959 2Sheecs-Sheel 2 United States Patent This invention relates to anauxiliary side rail for racks of the conventional four-sided openframework type which are widely used to support loads for shipping andstorage.

The side rail construction is in the form of an accessory or kit whichcan be used in conjunction with standard existing types of racks Withoutyrequiring any structural change in the rack.

Many racks of the type involved are manufactured to standard dimensionsand used for supporting various types of loads as distinguished fromracks which are specially made to accommodate a particular load. In thecase of such general purpose racks, a need has existed for some means bywhich the eifective rack dimensions, at least as between two oppositesides of the rack, could be adjusted so that loads of different sizescan be accommodated and held in position.

The construction of the present invention fullls this need by providingan auxiliary side bar which can be mounted on at least one of the fourrack sides and locked in place in any one of a number of positionsrelative to the opposite rack side so that the effective width of therack can be made greater or less than the normal width establishedbetween these two sides by the permanent rack framework.

The construction of the invention `essentially comprises a pair ofbrackets each of which can be detachably mounted on one of a pair orrack corner posts at the ends of one of the rack sides. A side railmember is supplied which has a length corresponding to the spacingbetween this pair of corner posts and an arm is vfixed perpendicularlyto each end of the side rail member. Each of the brackets includes anarm supporting member adapted to engage one of the arms for slidingmovement and the brackets further include means for locking the armagainst such sliding movement so that the side rail member can bemounted in desired relation to the pair of corner posts.

Preferably the arm supporting members are each in the form of a guidethrough which the free end of one of the arms can be inserted fromeither direction so that the eiective width of the rack between the siderail member and the opposite side can be increased or decreased `fromthe normal rack width.

Alternate means are shown for locking the side rail arms in desiredposition and these means together with other features of the inventionwill be brought out in the following description of the preferredembodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings which consist ofthe following views:

FIGURE 1, a plan view showing the auxiliary side rail mounted on one-side of a conventional rack structure partly shown in phantom;

FIGURE 2, an enlarged plan view showing one end of the auxiliary siderail and the mounting bracket therefor;

FIGURE 3, a side elevation of the structure shown in FIG. 2;

FIGURE 4, a side elevation similar to FIG. 3 and showing on an enlargedscale an alternate -form of means for locking the side rail in position;

FIGURE 5, a sectional elevation taken on the line 5-5 of FIG. 4;

3,040,906 Patented June 26, 1962 FIGURE 6, a sectional plan view takenon the line 6-6 of FIG. 4;

FIGURE 7, a plan view showing another form of construction for lockingthe side rail in position;

FIGURE 8, a side elevation of the structure shown in FIG. 7;

FIGURE 9, an end elevation, partly in section, of the structure shown inFIG. 7 and taken as indicated by the arrows 9-9 thereon.

Referring to FIGURE l, a portion of a conventional rack structure isshown in phantom and includes a pair of corner posts 11 and 12 which areconnected to frame members 13, 14 and 15. These frame members definethree of the four sides of a rack, it being understood that the completerack structure includes a frame member opposite the member 14 andanother pair of corner posts so that a four-sided open-frameworkstructure is formed.

Referring to FIGURES 1 to 3, the auxiliary side rail constructionconsists of a pair of brackets 18 and I9 each of which is generallyU-shaped having a pair of legs 20 and 21 which can be spread apart sothat the bracket can be slippedaround'a corner post and clamped indesired position therealong by a bolt 22.

The auxiliary side rail comprises an angle member 2li having a lengthcorresponding to the spacing between the posts 11 and 12. In theconstruction shown, the length of the side rail member 24 is such thatitlwill lit between the posts and the brackets 18 and 19 mounted thereon.An arm 26 is secured to each end of the side rail member 24. Each of the`brackets 18 and 19 is provided with an arm supporting member or guide28 which is U-shaped and dimensioned to straddle the arm 26 for freesliding movement of each arm in each guide member 2S. This constructionenables the arms to be inserted in the grade members 28 from eitherdirection so that the side rail member 24 can be positioned outside therack side member 14, as shown in FIGURE 1, or inside this rack sidemember. In other words, the effective width of the rack, or distancebetween the auxiliary side rail member 24 and the opposite rack side canbe increased or decreased from. the fixed normal dimension between suchopposite rack side and the member 1-4.

Once the desired effective dimension has been established, the arms 126are locked `against movement relative to the guides 28 by some suitablemeans. In the construction of FIGURES 1-3 this means simply consists ofa locking screw 30.

Other forms of locking means are shown in FIGURES 4-6 and in FIGURES7-9. Each of these other forms includes a latch means which isdetachably engageable in any one of a series of spaced apertures in theside rail arms.

In FIGURES 4-6 the 4side rail arm 26a is provided with apertures in theform of a series of elongated holes 32. The latch means consists of apin 34 which is pivotally mounted between the legs 20 and 21 of thebracket 18. One end 36 of the pin 34 is bent at right angles to thepivotal axis thereofV to form an actuating handle and the other end 38of the pin is also bent at a right angle to the axis and also an angleto the handle portion 36. Pin end 38 has a length less than that of theelongated holes 32 so that when the pin is rotated to a proper position,end 38 may be inserted or withdrawn through any one of the holes 32.When rotated out of this position, it cannot be withdrawn and the Weightof the handle end 36 of the pin normally urges it to such a latchedposition.

The bracket 18a is formed with an olset portion 4'0 at least on the leg21a to which the guide member 28 is secured and the amount of offset ofthis portion is greater than the diameter of the pin 34 `to provide a'non-interferring position for the end 38 of the latch pin.

In FIGURES 7-9 the side rail arms 261; are each formed with a series ofnotches 42 along their upper edge.

A U-shaped latch mounting bracket 44 is secured to the offset portion ofthe leg 2lb `of the bracket 18h. A pin 46 is carried between the legs ofthe bracket 44 and engages an elongated slot 48 in a latch member Sil.This mounting ofthe latch member permits it to be slidably and rotatablymoved on the pin 46 between the disengaged position shown in phantom inFIGURE 9 and a position of engagement with one of the notches 42 in thearm 26b as shown in full line in FIGURE 9. Latch member 50 includes aprojecting end portion 52 which in the engaged position is wedged betwenthe inner surface 54 of the Iarm yand the portion '56 of the latchmounting bracket 44. The latch 59 is held in disengaged position by itsown weight which urges it into engagement with the upper edge 5S of thelatch bracket 44 and mounting bracket 18h. Thus, either type of latchmeans, the pin 34 `or the latch 50, can be easily yoperatedA to lock thearms 26h in the position desired; and either latch means can bewithdrawn from engagement with the arms to a position where they Willnot interfere with the insertion of the arms in the guides 28 in' eitherdirection as previously mentioned. While preferred embodiments have beendescribed above in detail, it will be understood that numerousmodiications might be resorted to without departing from the scope ofour invention as defined in the following claim.

We claim:

An auxiliary side rail for a rack of the four-sided l dicularly to saidmember at each end thereof, -said brackets each including an armsupporting member through which the free end of one of said arms can beinserted in a direction toward or away from the side opposite said onerack side, a latch member carried by each of said brackets, said latchmember comprising a pin pivotally and slidably mounted between the legsof said U-shaped bracket, and detent means `on each of said arms fordetachable engagement by one of said latch members in one of a pluralityof positions along said arms whereby said side rail member can bemounted between said pair of posts to increase or decrease the effectivewidth of said rack as measured between the side opposite said one rack.side and said side rail member, said detent means comprising a seriesof elongated apertures formed in said arm, said pin having an `offsetend movable through any one of said apertures and handle means forrotating said 'pin to a position where said offset end is aligned withsuch one aperture and for normally rotatably urging said pin to alatched position where said oi'set end is not aligned with one of saidapertures.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 484,66()

